Vinted Wrongly Bans 4,000 Users as Fraud Filters Misfire on £2 Relistings
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 18
Vinted Wrongly Bans 4,000 Users as Fraud Filters Misfire on £2 Relistings
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 18
Summary
More than 4,000 Vinted users have complained of wrongful suspensions or permanent bans, with some flagged for “fraudulent activity” after routine second-hand listings.
A website tracking cases logged 2,609 banned or suspended users, including 1,618 permanent bans, and 2,526 complaints that customer service ignored them or sent seemingly automated replies.
Emma Neil said Vinted permanently banned her after she relisted £3 sandals for £2, while professional seller Matthew Connor said a ban over a used North Face fleece cost him thousands before Vinted reversed it on appeal.
Vinted, which has 17 million UK users and operates in 26 countries, said it uses moderation teams, member reports and detection tools, and that appeals are reviewed individually by a human support team.
Consumer advocates say the complaints point to automation outpacing customer service as Vinted expands, leaving users struggling to reach a human when fraud checks go wrong.